Niflheim Advent
by Rzul
Summary: The wingless angel celebrates the victory over SethRa while also mourning the loss of friends. A new threat is imminent, as well as romance.For one as troubled as Ein, could life become worse?


Disclaimer: I do not own Riviera,but I play frequently, so I decided to write a fanfic based on my vision of a sequel to Riviera. A few things are different though. But I won't ruin it, because if you knew a lot a fanboy/fangirls might not read it if they knew what I'd done. So anyway, you can start to read now. 

* * *

_**Elendia Blues**_

_Ein?... Ein you must wake up... please wake up... _

"Huh? Wha? Who's there?" Ein asked rather sluggishly. "Where am I?"

_It's me Ein, Ursula... I am speaking to you directly into your thoughts and dreams. _said the quiet, faint voice. Ein looked around to see himself floating in a seemingly endless blue void with letters, words and unfamiliar markings passing by him, then he noticed a blurry shape above him. He realized it was Ursula.

_Calm down...Ein, I will not be living much longer... Because Seth is dead, I will also cease to exist very soon...I want to thank you for saving Riviera...you have done us all a great deed, you and your companions...but, I fear all is still not well. _

"Ursula, why did you bring me here?... Where is here?" he asked in a panic. "What do you mean? Is Hector still alive?" Ein was becoming increasingly worried. "Wait. You're going to die! But..but who's going to protect Riviera? You can't die!"

_My death cannot be prevented... but I do sense an even greater evil now then Hector or Seth... _She said, her  
voice gradually getting fainter.

"How is that possible? Before we defeated Hector he said he had made sure that no one would be able to surpass his power." Ein questioned.

_I am not certain... but... I do know that the only thing... capable of thwarting this new threat... is you... and your fr-frien-ds_. Her voice was now starting to crack.

"Ursula? What's going on? Your voice is starting to break up." Ein watched in horror as the image of Ursula started to disipate  
"Ursula! Ursula! Don't go! I still have questions!"

_D-don't worry... we w-w-will speak a-again... _Ein saw the blue void turn black with darkness and the hovering text melt into nothingness. He started to scream as he saw images flash by in an instant although it seemed like an eternity.

"Is this it? Am I going to die?" He felt sharp pains dig into his back where his wings used to be. "This pain, what is this sensation?...No. NO! I will not die here! I made a promise! And I intend to keep it!" As he said that, the darkness was turned into white shimmering light and was engulfed  
in it. "URSULA!"

* * *

Ein found himself awake on the floor of Fia's room. "What was that pain?" He asked himself as he rubbed his shoulders."And what did Ursula say right before that blinding light?...Come to Heaven's Gate. But wait, we saw most of Heaven's Gate fall into ruin. The only parts of it still intact was the Remote Sanctuary and the Gate itself. Well, I still have to go regardless of its destruction." He then noticed there was a teddy bear beside him. "Where did this come-... Thanks Lina." He whispered realizing the young archer girl had given it to him as he slept. He repeated about Ursula's words. "My companions...my friends... I don't deserve to have any friends!" he cried out in a remorseful tone. "Not after that...not after what happened at the Maze..." He remembered back to the horrific events that took place at the Maze of Shadows.

"I intend to destroy Riviera and Asgard and build a world in my image! And it will take more than a pitiful grim angel and a few sprites to stop me from achieving my plans!"

"Hector, your ambitions are insane! Is this the will of the gods?" Ein asked impetuously.

"Gods! Gods! If the gods were foolish enough to sacrifice their own existance to create you pathetic creatures whose only purpose in life is to engage in combat against demons and such, then they don't deserve to be called gods. More like overpowered insects. I will be the only one true deity, and I will bring death to those who try to keep me from my plans!" Hector replied voraciously.

Ein increased his grip on Einherjar. "Well, if that is the case, then it is my duty as a Grim Angel to stop you." The holy sword started to shine brightly.

Hector started towards the center of the room."I still need more souls to summon her... Ah, Malice. Ein felt a chill run down his spine. He turned to see that Malice had both Serene and Cierra in her grasp.

"Lord Hector, sacrifice me as well as these two! Now before it is too late!" she shouted with a rabid look on her face.

"NO! Serene, Cierra! MALICE! Stop!" Ein cried, unable to stop Hector in time.

"As you wish." Hector responded as an evil smirk slithered onto his lips.

"_With the knowledge of the Magi...ETHER BURST!"_

Ein watched in agony as he saw Serene and Cierra were hit by Hector's blast.

"Ein...I'm glad we got to meet each other...I only regret not being able to avenge my family..." coughed Serene crying, covered in scratches and burns.

"It was the most joyful time of my life...the time I shared with you, Ein..." Cierra mumbled as blood trickled down from her lips.

"Cierra...Serene...don't...don't die, please! I need you!" Ein yelled, terrified. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"I couldn't save them...why?" Ein was in anguish over his hesitation to save his friends. "Dammit! Why! I was stronger than Malice! I shouldn't have let her...I shouldn't..." he sobbed. He felt the tears bleed down his face. "It just isn't fair!" Just as soon as he said that, he felt a small hand on his shoulder.

"Ein, are you alright? I saw you crying and just wanted to know if I could help in anyway."

_'Coco, you're sweet' _Ein thought."Yeah, I was crying. Would you like to know why? I'll tell you if you can keep it to yourself" Ein said, quickly drying his tears.

"Well in that case, you'd better not. I'm not very good at keeping secrets." Coco said, dissapointed. But Ein decided to tell her anyway.

"I was just thinking about the quest to save Riviera...and the people I was unable to save from death on it." He sighed with remorse. "You know it's ironic, I murdered countless demons in the name of the gods, but when my friends lives were on the line...I was unable to act to save them. And now there's nothing that is going to bring them back...It just makes me feel like crying sometimes." There were tears in his eyes again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. If I had known...I wouldn't have asked. It's just-"

"YYYYEEEAAAHHHHHHH! NOOOOOO!"

Their conversation was interrupted by a large, deafening scream. "Oh no! Lina!" Ein shouted in a worried manner. He grabbed Einherjar and took off through the door. "I'm sorry Coco! Tell me when I get back, okay?" He shouted as he ran towards the Undine Springs. "Sure thing Ein!" she yelled back.

"Crap...we just beat Hector, and now I have to deal with more demons. Great..." He murmered to himself sarcastically. "Hang on Lina! I'm coming!"

* * *

"Lina? Lina! Are you alright" Ein asked worried, as he ran up to her at the Undine Springs. "What happened? Did someone injure you?" He rummaged around in the grass and reeds. As he turned back to Lina, she was staring at him in awe.

"You came here...to protect Lina?" She asked, blushing a bright red.

"Of course! I'd never let anyone hurt you, or any of the girls for that matter." Ein said assuringly. "Why did you scream so loud? I heard you all the way across Elendia." Lina suddenly turned around, with her back to Ein.

"Um...Lina 's fine. Lina just ran out of toothepaste" She turned around and stuck her tounge out. "Lina didn't mean to worry Ein... Lina's sorry." She said drying off.

"That's okay, I just thought you were under attack by-" He stopped abruptly as he realized he was speaking to a nearly nude Lina. It seemed she had also noticed because she was starting to blush again, harder this time.

"Ein's a pervert!" She cried, embarrassed. "Who told you Lina was bathing? She started to hit him in the chest, all the while becoming increasingly more red. And then like clockwork, Ein's "accidential" perversity kicked in and he fell straight into the springs with Lina right on top of him.

"I'm sorry Lina, it-it was an accident. I swear! I trip-" Ein had begun to speak, when he was interrupted by a voice in his thoughts.

_My, my, isn't this interesting? _The voice asked, half-laughing.

"Who? What?... Rose! What are you doing? Did you have to at this particular moment?" Ein asked, shocked.

_Well, as a matter of fact...No. I just wanted to see what you were up to. _Rose replied with another laugh. _You know, I always thought you were the type to go for someone your own age, but hey, I'm not one to question love. _Ein's anger seemed to flare with Rose's last remark.

"Rose! Quit it! You know it was an accident."

The voice paused. _...Yeah, just like all the other times. I bet those were "accidents". Like that time when you smashed the Golem... _

"Rose, can I have some privacy? Ein asked impatiently.

_Sure. Oh, um... we need to speak later. _Rose asked as her voice was cut short by a nude body right in front of Ein's eyes.

"Ein! EIN! Get OUT!" Lina shouted as she threw something at him.

"Okay, sure. I'm gone" He said just as a damp towel landed on his head. as he pulled it off Lina asked a strange question.

"Oh, Ein? Could you wait for me? I want to walk back home with you." Lina asked suddenly.

"Um...sure." He responded, surprised at the fact that Lina's question wasn't spoken in third person.

'_She must want to talk about something serious on the way back to the house...' _He thought to himself.

"OKAY! Lina's ready to go back!" She shouted cheerfully.

_'Or not...'_ He sighed as they started back towards the house.

* * *

They had gotten about half way to the house when they were stopped by to familiar little children. Both wearing cute headgear...

"Hey Mister Ein? Will you play with me?" Gill asked with a look of sadness.

"Oooh! Me too!" jeered Molan.

"I can't right now, I promised Lina I would walk with her back to our house." said Ein, wishing he could.

"But we found something really cool! We found a treasure chest!" Gill shouted, hysterically.

_'Oh no...' _Ein thought as turned towards Lina. Her eyes were glazed with excitement.

"Treasure chest! Really?" She questioned, about to burst. "I'll play with Gill and Molan! Is it alright, Ein?"

Ein seemed somewhat relieved. "Sure, I don't mind." he replied.

"Yay! Thank you Ein! Lina shreiked as she clung to him. As he started to leave, he heard her explaining the mechanics of opening locked chests and such to Gill and Molan.

_'Lina's...so eccentric and energetic. I could never keep up with her...'_

* * *

_Baka... _

"What, Rose? Where are you? Do you have to do this again?" Ein asked as he was about to enter the house.

_No. _The nekogirl replied slyly.

"Then could you stop, and come talk like a normal person? " he pleaded.

"Sure, okay." Rose said, mischeviously.

Ein turned to see her on the roof of the house. "Oh yeah, I keep forgetting your human now..." He started to say as he was staring at her amorously.

"Lina's right, you are a pervert." She said in an angry tone. "Just because I'm human now doesn't mean you get to ogle me like you did to the other girls.

"I wasn't, I..." Ein started to say. "Hey, um...Rose? What did you want to talk about?

Rose's face went from angry to puzzled. "...Oh, yeah. Well, it's kind of private. Come up here and we'll talk." she said, in a serious manner.

"Up there, on the roof?" Ein questioned lethargically.

"Yes, up here!" Rose shouted madly.

_'Her emotions sure change quick...must be because of the potion' _Ein thought as he climbed up to the roof. _'You'd think she was going through menopause' _

_

* * *

_

When he reached the top, Rose was staring off into the sunset.

"Ein, do you remember when asked you if I could write a book about our journey?... I-I don't think I should now." Rose said on the verge on tears.

"Rose...I don't think you should stop writing just because our friends are...gone." He felt tears welling up in his own eyes. Quickly drying them, he turned to face Rose. "Listen, don't stop writing because of this. I have no right to stop you. You should continue to do what you want, it's your life." All of sudden Rose turned and buried her head in Ein's chest, causing him to studder.

"Thank you Ein! No one has ever made me feel like an individual. It was always "stray", or "dirty cat". No one ever appriciated me in Asgard. That is until I was assigned to watch over you. You made me feel like I had a purpose. I just never told until now. So I wanted to thank you."Rose cried, tears running down her face onto Ein's clothes.

"Of course you're special to me. I didn't care if you were in the form of cat. You were one of my best friends, and that's never going to change." As he finished, Rose lifted her head and sat up.

"I almost forgot, Fia told me that the village is having celebrating the victory over Hector. She wanted to know if you were going to come, because she had something to give you and said it was extremely important that you recieve it."

Ein thought about what had happened in his dream, what Ursula had told him. "Tell her that..." As he turned he saw that Rose was already back on the ground. "I'll tell her, don't worry." She said with a smirk. "Rose? Come back you didn't even let me tell you!" Ein shouted after her.

'_Uggh...she must have read my mind__and got the wrong impression.' _he thought to himself. "Some things never change, do they?...Well, I guess I better go take a bath, and get ready for this "celebration".

* * *

As Ein arrived at the Springs, he started to undress, and then was met with thoughts about the newest threats to Riviera.

_'I can't believe there's an even greater evil...I thought Hector and Malice were bad...Hades was pure evil in addition to having to face the Accursed...This new evil must be something incredible...Wait...If Malice was Hector's pawn...that mean Hector was also a pawn meaning Seth was but a mere distraction from the true evil...No...NO... it can't be...That means that-'_

Ein's thoughts were interrupted by a rustle in the bushes around the springs. At first he thought it was the local fauna, but then he heard giggling and voices, voices that sounded feminine.

"Alright! Who's there?" he asked gripping Einherjar lightly. "I know you're there, so show yourself!" The giggling got a bit louder and then suddenly, something launched itself from behind the bushes, and it was headed straight for Ein.

* * *

_What is the mysterious being about to land on Ein? Chapter 2 coming soon!_

God, that was so friggin cliche...


End file.
